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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23180008">romeo &amp; juliet</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/gotham_ruaidh/pseuds/gotham_ruaidh'>gotham_ruaidh</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Gotham Writes for Imagine Claire &amp; Jamie [133]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Outlander (TV), Outlander Series - Diana Gabaldon</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-20 05:13:26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>686</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23180008</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/gotham_ruaidh/pseuds/gotham_ruaidh</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Jamie &amp; Claire prepare, and reflect. Set during 05x04 “The Company We Keep”</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Claire Beauchamp/Jamie Fraser</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Gotham Writes for Imagine Claire &amp; Jamie [133]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/345047</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>58</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>romeo &amp; juliet</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>originally posted at <a href="https://imagineclaireandjamie.tumblr.com/post/612761023782518784/prompt-this-time-will-be-different">Imagine Claire &amp; Jamie</a> on tumblr</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p></p><div class="replies">
  <p>I don’t think I really slept that night. Between the hard floor of the room above the tavern, and the young couple dreaming on the bed, and worries over whether Alicia’s wound would fester, and my own apprehension over leaving Jamie in the morning, not to mention my fear that we couldn’t pull off the daring escape Jamie had envisioned…</p>
  <p>“Let’s get up,” Jamie whispered in my ear, sliding a hand down my side to squeeze my hip. “I’d rather spend our last hours together looking at each other.”</p>
  <p>Quietly we rose, and I folded the blanket we’d slept on as Jamie buckled his belt and opened the door. I held my breath until we’d both safely made it down to the taproom. Just one lamp had been left burning, and I approached the pitcher of ale on the main table. Jamie soundlessly walked beside me, and I poured a mug first for him, then for me.</p>
  <p>We sat on stools in the half-dark. He clinked his mug against mine, and took my hand with his free hand, squeezing tight.</p>
  <p>“I remember another night we spent in a tavern.” </p>
  <p>Jamie rose one brow in question. “I hate that I need to say this, Sassenach, but ye’ll need to be more specific.”</p>
  <p>I smiled from behind my mug. “There was a certain young man sleeping on the floor outside of my room. He thought it scandalous when I gave him the blanket from my bed.”</p>
  <p>Jamie sipped his ale, eyes dark and fixed on me. “I wanted nothing more than to be in that bed wi’ ye, truth be told. To be alone wi’ ye, away from the men.”</p>
  <p>“And yet, you were a gentleman.”</p>
  <p>“I didna ken how ye felt about me at the time. I would have been forcing ye. And  I may be many things, but I’m no’ that.”</p>
  <p>I shifted my elbow on the table, leaning closer to him. Voice low. “I was thinking about that night yesterday. And I was hoping that we…”</p>
  <p>His eyes narrowed. “Could do something different this time, aye?”</p>
  <p>I nodded, hoping he could feel my hammering pulse as his fingers caressed the inside of my wrist.</p>
  <p>He shifted his stool closer to me, and closed the gap between us with a kiss.</p>
  <p>He tasted of ale and want and home and I needed him desperately.</p>
  <p>I pulled away to breathe. He framed my face in his hands, lips hovering just above mine.</p>
  <p>“These past days wi’ you, Claire…” he swallowed. “I feel like I’m a lad of three and twenty again.”</p>
  <p>I rubbed my nose against his. “I meant what I said, Jamie. I do love our home, and all the people there. But -”</p>
  <p>“But it’s also fun to be on the road, wi’ no responsibilities.”</p>
  <p>I kissed him quickly. “I will miss you. The house is so big when you’re not there.”</p>
  <p>He sat up a bit straighter and reached for his ale. He took a sip, then handed the mug to me.</p>
  <p>“Know I’m doing my best to return to ye as fast as I can. And also know that when I do come home, I dinna care what time of day it is, I will take ye straight to bed. Aye?”</p>
  <p>I set down his now-empty mug. “Aye, Colonel.”</p>
  <p>He smiled. “Well then, Lieutenant Fraser - what’s your advice for how we execute our mission this morning?”</p>
  <p>I snorted. “Pull them out of bed, get them on a horse, and get them out of here without making too much noise.”</p>
  <p>He reached for my mug of ale and downed the dregs. “What did Roger Mac call it? Dutch courage?”</p>
  <p>I lay a hand on his knee, squeezing. “Oh, come on. Don’t you relish playing a part in our very own Romeo and Juliet story?”</p>
  <p>He sighed. “If Brownsville is Verona, then I’m King George himself.” Then he stood, put out a hand, and helped me to my feet. But not without kissing me first.</p>
  <p>“Be safe.”</p>
  <p>“I love you.”</p>
  <p>Another kiss. He squeezed my hand. </p>
  <p>“You bring Romeo and Juliet. I’ll find a good horse.”</p>
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